Day 10 – Of holiday cheers and thank you’s

We do some Good night prayers as part of N’s bed time routine. So after the peeing, brushing, pjs and story(s) are done we start with this one

Thank you God for the world so sweet, Thank you God for the food we eat.

Thank you God for the birds that sing, Thank you God for everything!

At the end of this we do our personal one liner thank you for something that happened that day or whatever random stuff comes to our mind. We had had a long yet lovely Sunday, attending a birthday party, followed by singing Christmas carols by candlelight, at the city’s Christmas party in the park!

So I said “Thank you God for all the fun we had today and the warm, yummy and fresh doughnuts”.

N said “Thank you God for my glow-in-the-dark saber and for Santa (there was a customary Santa at the party venue).”

5 second pause.

“And thank you God for a beautiful mamma”

😀 I wonder what inspired that but now I know where I come in. After Santa!! Sigh, that smile on N’s face was the-very-cliched-yet-totally-true to-die-for-kinds, it made my day!!

Yay for the holiday season. Loving it with all the early celebrations 🙂

This post is part of Day 10 of the Marathon Blogging December 2012.

Day 9 – Life, Death and Finances

Saturday morning, 7:00 am – S shouting from the loo, “Sim earthquake!! Take N and go under the table”.

A perplexed, still-not-fully-awake-me got off the bed to run walk, grab N and go under the dining table. N was excited to do the turtle-goes-into-the-shell-when-an-earthquake-happens routine he had learnt at school. The NZ mantra is Drop, Cover and Hold. So if you are indoors when an earthquake happens, drop down to the floor (preferably under a strong surface such as a dining table), cover your head with your hands while holding on to one of the table’s legs. Stay there until the tremors pass. N and I stayed there for about 20 seconds. It was a mild earthquake.

This early morning incident prompted us to discuss serious stuff like life and death. And we eventually got to the point of discussing finances.

Do you know what finances you would need to take care of if your spouse dies?

Well most of us have some or the other vague idea. I did too. Some people are smarter and keep things sorted and written clearly. S being the emotional yet practical person he is, quickly made an excel and both of us listed all the finance related things we could think of. So all the PFs, bank accounts, policies, investment details, nominations etc were listed and discussed at a high level so we both knew what needs to be looked into.

This series also led us to discuss what we would like to do with our bodies if an unexpected/sudden death happens. Both S and I want to donate as much of our bodies as possible. So that was sorted out too.

Have you ever thought about what you would like to do if such a situation arises? Are your spouse/partner and family aware of your choice? 

We sometimes think, things happen to other people, not to us! We are just fine till things actually happen and catch us unaware. I am not saying plan life to the T or worry about it, but being a little practical doesn’t harm 🙂 After all you never know what could happen tomorrow!

This post is part of Day 9 of the Marathon Blogging December 2012.

Day 8 – Theme for the week – Blast from the Past

As part of the Marathon Blogging December 2012, we decided to have one day each week, when we all have to write on a chosen theme. The 1st week’s theme is Blast from the Past!

The brief was – Pick any photo from the past and write about the memory associated with it, it could be a picture taken during a trip, could be about a meal you can never forget, a dish that you are proud of, an event that is embed in your memory… So dig out your pictures and share some memories with everyone 🙂

On N’s 1st birthday after the proverbial big birthday bash was done, I put my feet up on the table and had my glass of wine! We celebrated in a pub, you see. It was a beautiful, old place with that colonial dated architecture – pillars and all, grass bowling lanes on the 1st floor and it served finger licking food. It had a beautiful and big party hall with mix and match furniture, ceiling to floor glass windows (I am a sucker for those), a foosball table and a bar (we still had a lot of friends who were not new mommies and daddies and liked a glass or two of their poisons)! The party hall of that pub worked great for us. In fact, it was one of the best parties I have hosted 🙂

I talked to my mom and dad over the phone after the party and they started talking about my 1st birthday party celebrated in Leh, J&K. It brought back wonderful memories for them. My dad said 28 years down the line the Circle of Life has repeated itself. I looked at these pictures below and it felt so beautiful! Here is my blast from the past!

Me in my white birthday frock in mom’s arms

Dad and mom helping me cut my 1st b’day cake

28 years later, S and I helping N cut his 1st b’day cake.

Day 7 – Travel light? What is that?

“1 suitcase! For 2 whole weeks!! Are you serious???” Sim looks at her husband in disbelief!

They were going on a Christmas holiday with friends.

“If you pack light and get rid of all the unnecessary stuff, one suitcase will be enough.”

“Unnecessary stuff? There is nothing like that. All I am taking is some tops, bottoms, shoes, make up, toiletries, swimwear.”

“That doesn’t sound like a lot. It should fit in 1 suitcase.”

“Hmm, let’s see. I need about 9 to 10 tops for 14 days.”

“10 tops!!” Sim’s husband says with eyes wide open. “Why 10?, There will be a washing machine in the villa honey, you can wash and wear stuff.”

“I can’t repeat combinations!! My pictures will look all the same” Sim says with a I-can’t-believe-you-said-that expression.

Sim’s husband gives her the Does-that-really-matter look!

“Oh well maybe I can carry a few tops and change the bottoms. But what about shoes? I can’t wear the same ones all the 14 days. What if we have to walk a lot, I will need my comfy walking sneakers for that. And I can’t wear sneakers with that new pretty white skirt so I need my flat white sandals. What if we decide to go on a grown up’s night out leaving the kids with a baby sitter? For that I will need my heels. So that makes 3 pairs. Hmm, but the white sandals won’t go with everything; so I need my black flats too. That makes 4 pairs. I think that should be ok. What do you think?”

By this time Sim’s husband has given up hope and buries himself in the laptop.

“Accha, do you think we should carry some of N’s toys, games and a few colouring books? You know, to keep him busy at the airport, in the plane, in the taxi and while we are doing nothing. There might be moments like that.”

At this point Sim hears her husband muttering under his breath “He has 4 friends coming. I don’t think there will be moments where he will be doing nothing.”

Sim goes on pretending she did not hear that.

“What about sunscreen – it’s going to be super hot and bright. Some mosquito repellant – who knows there might be mosquitos in Thailand. The beach towels and mat – why go there and spend some money to buy another when we have one. I also need to carry 2 of my books, will catch up on all my reading in the holidays. I just don’t get time otherwise!! And I so need to take the camera, both my lenses and the video camera. The last time we made a video was 10 months ago. We should really do it more often…….”

Wait a sec before you even go there, the Sim above is not me. I swear. All I worry about taking is the important stuff – passport, house keys, visa papers, a credit card or cash and prescription medication.

Cut to the airport – “Excuse me Ms Dhaliwal, your luggage is 5 kgs over weight. The extra charges are $100. Would you like to pay by card or cash”

I wonder why that happens to me 😦

 

This post is part of Day 7 of Marathon Blogging December 2012.

Day 5 – Damn this is tough!

I admit writing for Day 5 of this Marathon Blogging event took some effort.

I have begun struggling just a teeny-weeny bit with what to write. Today was almost going to be a filler post rather than something I felt strongly/passionately enough to write about. Not that fillers are an issue, no no, not at all! Fillers are just perfect for those rainy days in a blogathon and I shall resort to using some in the next few days maybe 😉

But just when I was about to give up hope of an inspiration popping up, something happened. Something that was a trigger for the outpour that follows next.

My dad’s-brother’s-wife’s-sister’s-sister-in-law’s-brother’s-son joined FB. Wait, that is not the issue. He sent me a friend request!!! I cringed at that message. I shrank back from the laptop. NO! I did not want him as a friend on FB.

Family and extended family have this really creepy thing they do when they are in your FB/social media circle. As if they don’t do it enough in real life. They stalk you, check out everything that you do, say, eat and wear, then gossip, shell out unsolicited advice as if they are entitled to it and go tell your parents or in-laws too!

“Oh we did see pictures of Pinky and that handsome guy skinny dipping in the Dead Sea. Is she dating him Meena? Tell us na.”

“Mom, Rita chachi is wearing the same saree that she wore for Nikhil’s sangeet at Pooja’s wedding. Why couldn’t she wear something different?”

“Looks like Ashok and Anjali are having a cold war these days. Look at their expressions and body language in that picture. I think I am going to call Anjali’s  sister Tina and ask her if she knows anything.”

“Priya bhabhi seems to have gained some weight. Maybe she is pregnant. Or wait maybe she is depressed and over eating because Raj bhaiya  seems to be away from home most of the time from his pictures.”

“Maddy’s status says single again. Did she break up again? Oh god, this girl just can’t settle down, can she? Her poor darling mom, she must be going through hell.”

Give it a break people!! Spare your family. In the virtual world at least.

I chose “Not now” on the new friend request and signed out. Nothing better than shoving such things under the bed, till they stare you in the face :p

 

P.S. – This is a totally fictional narrative people! I have a loving, warm, supportive and non-interfering family on FB and off it as well 😉 Love you family folks and this is not about any of you, I swear!! xoxoxo

Day 4 – Gifts for N’s teachers or not?

It’s Christmas month!!!

Celebrations have started happening in this part of the world. My son N’s school had their Christmas function last week. The kids sang and danced to a couple of seasonal favourites. One of them is the Kiwi version of Jingle Bells. It reflects celebrating Christmas in the summer months 🙂 This is how it goes –

“Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
Christmas in New Zealand on a sunny summer’s day, ah!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
Oh what fun it is to have a Kiwi holiday!” 

The kids had made some calendars for 2013 with artwork made by them at school and gifted them to their parents along with a hand-made card during the event.

I had been thinking of doing something for N’s teachers at school much before this event. I believe teachers work very hard and are super patient human beings (after dealing with one handful brat at home, there is a whole new respect for teachers). And Christmas and New Year is a good occasion, among other days, to show gratitude.

But the big question is what should be given to the teachers. I was initially thinking a card, with what N wants to say, to each teacher. He has started writing quite a bit and so he can write some of it himself and I can help him with the rest. And along with that some cookies baked at home, maybe 2 kinds of cookies. But then I discussed this with a couple of girl friends and they expressed their views about gifting to teachers. And that discussion made me think (girl friends are good for the soul I tell you)!

– Do I need to add some gifts (could be cookies, could be anything else) or will a card be just enough?

– What is the aim of this? Teaching N to be thankful or letting the teachers know we (S, N and I) are grateful for what they do?

– If I do this, will it affect the teacher’s relationship with N? In what way? Good or bad?

I am still debating about what to do. In the end I will do what I am comfortable with and makes sense to me. Just that, I am waiting for that moment when things just go “Click” and you know what you want to do 🙂

But I would love to know, what do you fellow bloggers do? Do you gift the teachers at your child’s school at any time of the year? If yes, why and what? If not, why not? If there is a teacher amongst us I would so love to hear your views!!

This post is part of Day 4 of the Marathon Blogging December 2012 event.

Day 1 – Overwhelmed!

A couple of bloggers are getting together with a target of writing a post a day this December and I am part of this Marathon Blogging event!! Check out the badge and all on the sidebar 🙂 I am super excited about doing this, meeting new people virtually, refreshing old ties with blogger friends, reading new blogs, setting some goals and challenges for myself. I should be going “Yay”, right?

But I do want to share a secret!! I am feeling overwhelmed 😦

Already!

It seems like a huge commitment to myself, to fellow bloggers and to my readers. What if I fail? What if I can’t write a daily post for whatever reason? What if I just don’t feel like writing every day? What will people think? What will I feel? Can I really do this? How will I take out the time to do it EVERY day? What will I write about? Huh! Am I the only one thinking about such silly stuff?

Seriously talk about the timing for self-doubt! However, the courageous and enterprising soul that I am, I am going to brush these trivial doubts and questions aside and just take it one day at a time. Maybe a few days at a time before end-of-the-year vacation 😉

I work well under pressure; at other times I am just plain ‘ol lazy unless its something to do with reading or watching TV. So I should be fine.

Now without over analyzing I shall post this and go on to read other Day 1 posts. Ah, I feel so much better now after all that self  pacification.

Wait a second, is this post too short for a daily blogging marathon? Did they specify a minimum length? Is it too simple? Lacks substance?…